House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 6 Mar 2002 (pt 35)

Mental Health

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in reviewing methods of recording calls to NHS Direct about mental health-related matters so as to align them closely with the clinical assessment system. [35509]

Ms Blears [holding answer 12 February 2002]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.

All calls to NHS Direct are logged and recorded; this includes mental health calls. Nurse advisers use decision support systems (algorithms) as part of the national health service clinical assessment system (CAS) to enable them to identify the nature of the call and assess the needs of the caller. Mental health is seen as an integral part of the CAS and mental health callers will be assessed and advised using the CAS through the use of mental health algorithms developed by mental health clinicians. As CAS is available across England, the information available on all calls will become even more robust and will provide a credible data source supporting mental health service development.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 13 November 2001, Official Report, column 679W, what the timetable is for selection and implementation of instrumentation for the measurement of clinical outcomes in the mental health services. [39845]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 1 March 2002]: The selection and implementation of instrumentation for the measurement of clinical outcomes in mental health services is developing as planned.

The instruments to be used were selected in January 2002.

They will consider aspects of morbidity, patient satisfaction and quality of life.

Piloting the instruments is currently in hand.

Data are expected to be flowing from the pilot sites by September 2002.

Routine measurement of outcomes is expected from April 2003.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of people, broken down by age, were (a) admitted and (b) discharged from hospital in each of the last five years where the main diagnosis was mental illness. [40577]

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Jacqui Smith [holding answer 5 March 2002]: The tables show the estimated numbers of Finished Consultant Episodes and Discharges with a primary diagnosis of

6 Mar 2002 : Column 432W

mental and behavioural disorders, in England, for 1996–97 to 2001–01. The figures for 2000–01 are provisional, as no adjustments have yet been made for shortfalls in data.

Finished consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99), England, 1996–97 to 2000–01

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01

Under 16 20,210 25,150 20,010 18,170 14,580

16–24 33,880 36,540 31,500 27,870 22,220

25–44 103,540 109,640 106,350 98,890 79,560

45–64 54,390 56,190 56,010 54,550 45,850

65–74 26,090 25,520 24,700 23,720 18,840

75–84 32,310 32,920 33,300 31,560 24,210

85+ 18,460 19,180 17,820 17,510 15,060

Not known 2,400 470 730 250 420

All ages 291,280 305,610 290,420 272,520 220,740

Psychiatric diagnosis as a percentage of all diagnoses 2.7 2.7 2.5 2.3 1.9

	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Under 16	20,210	25,150	20,010	18,170	14,580
16–24	33,880	36,540	31,500	27,870	22,220
25–44	103,540	109,640	106,350	98,890	79,560
45–64	54,390	56,190	56,010	54,550	45,850
65–74	26,090	25,520	24,700	23,720	18,840
75–84	32,310	32,920	33,300	31,560	24,210
85+	18,460	19,180	17,820	17,510	15,060
Not known	2,400	470	730	250	420
All ages	291,280	305,610	290,420	272,520	220,740
Psychiatric diagnosis as a percentage of all diagnoses	2.7	2.7	2.5	2.3	1.9

Notes:

1. Data for 2001–01 have not been grossed for coverage and have a provisional status.

2. Figures may not add up due to rounding.

3. Codes have been taken from the 'International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems' Tenth Revision (ICD-10).

Discharges with a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99), England, 1996–97 to 2000–01

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01

Under 16 20,000 24,950 19,620 18,050 14,270

16–24 32,170 35,130 29,940 25,970 20,400

25–44 97,330 104,070 100,000 90,360 72,230

45–64 50,550 52,780 51,990 49,480 40,970

65–74 24,000 23,670 22,740 21,190 16,630

75–84 29,330 30,310 30,250 27,800 20,940

85+ 16,660 17,540 16,010 15,230 12,740

Not known 2,350 450 690 230 410

All ages 272,390 288,890 271,230 248,300 198,580

Psychiatric diagnosis as a percentage of all diagnoses 2.7 2.8 2.5 2.2 1.9

	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Under 16	20,000	24,950	19,620	18,050	14,270
16–24	32,170	35,130	29,940	25,970	20,400
25–44	97,330	104,070	100,000	90,360	72,230
45–64	50,550	52,780	51,990	49,480	40,970
65–74	24,000	23,670	22,740	21,190	16,630
75–84	29,330	30,310	30,250	27,800	20,940
85+	16,660	17,540	16,010	15,230	12,740
Not known	2,350	450	690	230	410
All ages	272,390	288,890	271,230	248,300	198,580
Psychiatric diagnosis as a percentage of all diagnoses	2.7	2.8	2.5	2.2	1.9

Notes:

1. Data for 2001–01 have not been grossed for coverage and have a provisional status.

2. Figures may not add up due to rounding.

3. Codes have been taken from the 'International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems' Tenth Revision (ICD-10).

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring of compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998 in psychiatric units his Department has undertaken in the last three years; and what resources have been made available for this. [38367]

Jacqui Smith: The Mental Health Act Commission's role is to routinely visit all hospitals and registered nursing homes with detained patients to monitor the operation of the Mental Health Act and interview detained patients in private. It is also their role to monitor complaints made by detained patients through the NHS complaints procedures and monitor the operation of the consent to treatment safeguards and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice. New legislation following the reform of the Mental Health Act 1983 will fully comply with the Human Rights Act 1998.

Correspondence

Mr. Cran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a substantive reply will be given to Dr. R. D. Fouracre's letter of 1 August 2001, concerning continence management services. [36840]

Jacqui Smith: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to the question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.

The Department has no record of receiving this correspondence. The hon. Member's office have been asked to supply a duplicate.

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average response time was for responding to departmental correspondence; what percentage of letters took longer than one month for a response; and what percentage took longer than three months for a response in each of the last five years. [37441]

Ms Blears: The available information is in the table, which shows the percentage of letters replied to within the Department's service first targets of 20 working days.

Year Volume of letters Percentage increase Percentage of replies sent on target

1998 10,648 — 61.0

1999 18,346 Up 72.0 47.0

2000 18,621 Up 1.5 50.0

2001 19,665 Up 5.6 60.0

Year	Volume of letters	Percentage increase	Percentage of replies sent on target
1998	10,648	—	61.0
1999	18,346	Up 72.0	47.0
2000	18,621	Up 1.5	50.0
2001	19,665	Up 5.6	60.0

6 Mar 2002 : Column 433W

Health Action Zones

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what independent evaluation has been made of the work of health action zones. [37382]

Ms Blears: The national independent evaluation of health action zones (HAZ) is due to be completed by December 2002 and is being conducted by a consortium led by Professor Ken Judge of the University of Glasgow. In addition, each HAZ is carrying out a local evaluation. Some reports have already been published and are available locally and at www.Haznet.org.uk.

Social Work Training

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidance to social services departments to ensure that care workers will not be charged when undertaking their training for the NVQ level II as set out in the domiciliary care standards. [37694]

Jacqui Smith: There is no intention either implied or stated in the draft National Minimum Standards for Domiciliary Care to levy a charge on home care workers for their NVQ training.

Foot Health Care

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many chiropodists/podiatrists were employed in the NHS in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [38214]

Ms Blears: The information requested is shown in the table.

Qualified staff employed in chiropody/podiatry in England as at 30 September each year

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Headcount 3,290 3,320 3,370 3,470 3,560

Whole-time equivalents 2,730 2,750 2,770 2,850 2,890

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Headcount	3,290	3,320	3,370	3,470	3,560
Whole-time equivalents	2,730	2,750	2,770	2,850	2,890

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten.

2. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts.

Source:

Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

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